Battery Operated Shuttle Car - Prototype

In this project, titled “Development and Demonstration of Advanced Mining Technologies to Reduce Production Costs”, we are actively searching for ways to reduce mining costs. In this project we are currently co-funding the development of a battery-powered shuttle car for use in Illinois mines. 

Phillips Machine has a prototype car in development; the car is unfortunately a high-profile machine (thicker seams), which would have limited use in Illinois. However, industrial engineering data on the machine would be relevant and Phillips Machine has agreed to make the data available.  Negotiations continue on construction of a lower profile machine that would be more useful for mining Illinois coal seams, and the concept of a battery-powered surge car have been extensively discussed. However, actual design of the surge car is in the preliminary stages awaiting the shuttle car trial results.

During August three representatives from Turris Coal Company in IL, three representatives from Phillips Machine, the project management team and ICCI staff visited the Carrion Branch Mine in Whitesburg, Kentucky.  The mine, operated by Coastal Coal Company, is the current demonstration site for the battery shuttle car.  The group was able to inspect the car without interrupting production due to a power outage at the mine.  When power was restored, four hours of haulage time study data was collected.  Both the data and actual visual observation of the mining operation suggest that additional time is needed for the mine’s operators to overcome the learning curve associated with the new equipment.

This project is scheduled to end on February 28, 2003. You can also visit the Phillips Machine Brochure on the web.

Left - Inspecting the batteries of the shuttle car; Right - Inside the control booth. Below - Various views of the shuttle car in the mine.

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